Darkness

There is beauty in stillness. In ancient times this was a time of reflection and stillness, of the dark coming in to settle and be the blank canvas upon which to start anew once springtime arose. This was a time of deep hibernation, of recognizing the inner sight that we all have once we close our outer eyes and give sight to the inner landscape of our minds. Now, however, we have the ability to overcome this darkness with technology and other means, which is helpful to be more productive, but not helpful if the productivity is seen as a means of skipping over the meaningful pause that darkness used to allow. Productivity happens in darkness, in the womb space, in the deep dark earth where the seeds germinate and pop open, but we have given more value to the productivity that we can see with our outer eyes. Let us close our outer eyes for just a moment and consider that what grows and becomes realized is only that way once we have allowed the darkness to take over for a time first. Let us close our outer eyes and focus on the great task of a seed inside the deep dark earth. There is so much happening within a tiny seed inside the deep dark earth before the sun even kisses the tiniest fiber of its being. This seed does not need reassurance that it is growing. This seed does not need others to see it to believe in its capacity to grow strong and tall and wise. This seed only needs the nurturing and loving environment of the earth to self actualize into the sprout and then the plant that it will become. Within the stillness of the earth it does all of this inner work alone, in darkness, before it reveals itself to the outer world. Let us consider this darkness, this symbolic soil of the earth, as our own way of putting blinders on our outer work so that we don’t see ourselves as reflections of others or consider what others think of us. Let us cover ourselves with this deep dark rich soil and gather up the courage within ourselves to grow on the inside, to cultivate and let germinate whatever parts of ourselves need growing and germinating. Let us let these parts of ourselves do all of their magical inner work during this season of darkness and reveal themselves to us once springtime comes and it is time for unveiling. Let us all have special magical seeds germinating within our soul that only we are aware of. Let this special magical secret within our being make us smile and giggle and be merry, just knowing that we have seeds seeded deep within our soul that no one else can see. For today, visualize the seeds that are wintering deep within your soul like a wintery garden cloak all around you. What aspects of yourself can you let rest and receive nurturing? Nothing need be done except for your awareness of these seeds. Doing less is doing more in this way. Feel into how this feels, to do less. It may be challenging in our modern time of rushing, rushing rushing. Do the opposite, even if its for one breath only, and imagine how that would feel for a whole winter of stillness. And when the real presents arrive, when the gifts of your soul reveal themselves come springtime, that is the time to move, to dance and run and play after the beautiful time of stillness.